Hello, my name is Bex Schwartz and I am about to sing you a ditty. [A Ditty:] This is my home in the blogosphere. It's not as round as a bathosphere. But it's my place in cyberspace so I hold it dear. BLOG. O. SPHERE!
Hug me, please.

Monday, March 24, 2008

Longtime Bex-friends know that I used to be really passionate about things before I sold-out and became apathetic. It's hard to tell, but I actually do care about things (beyond making you watch shows on the VH1) and I still really care about the Chinese government's systematic cultural genocide of Tibet. And, so, friends, unless you've been living under a rock, (and if you've been living under a rock, we should talk about other things like if you're eating worms like Gollum), you're well aware that there is crazypants violence going on Tibet and His Holiness the Dalai Lama is all sorts of concerned and basically, the shit totally hit the fan. And so.

We're all involved in a Day of Action we're calling "No Torch Through Tibet."

Here's the deal:

Today, March 24th, China lit its 2008 Olympic Torch at Ancient Olympia in Greece, marking the first day of Beijing's "Journey of Harmony." (ed: PSHAW). Meanwhile, for Tibetans inside Tibet, the situation is far from harmonious as they continue to resist the Chinese government's brutal military crackdown.

Chinese authorities are hoping that the torch relay kickoff will divert the world's attention from its repression in Tibet. But they're wrong. The chorus calling for an end to the repression is growing.

And people everywhere are demanding immediate removal of Tibet from the Olympic torch relay.

If the IOC allows the Olympic torch to be carried through Tibet, the Chinese government will inevitably continue - and likely escalate - its repression of Tibetans, using brutal force and mass arrests in order to ensure a successful propaganda exercise. But we can do something about it!

Please contact your National Olympic Committee (NOC) today and ask them to urge the IOC to immediately remove Tibet from the Torch Relay Route. Please call the US Olympic Committee at 1 949 975 2900 to simply say "Please don't let the Olympic torch go through Tibet". You can press 3 for International Relations and then 0 for operator.

(You can also fax them at 949 975 2916 and email them at international@usoc.org)

Tell them that under current conditions, allowing the torch to go through Tibet would make the IOC complicit in China's assault on Tibetans.

We're doing everything we can to make sure we're being heard. Almost exactly 11 months after a high-profile action on Mt. Everest to protest the torch coming to Tibet, and two weeks after lighting the Tibetan Freedom Torch in Olympia, SFT's Deputy Director Tenzin Dorjee was back in Olympia to keep up the pressure. SFT held a jam-packed press conference last night, and today at China's official Olympic torch lighting ceremony, Tendor and other Tibet activists were arrested by Greek police in an attempt to silence our protests. Watch the dramatic video of Tendor's arrest!

It was bad enough that China had hoped to use the Olympic torch, a symbol of freedom, to attempt to legitimize its rule in Tibet. Now, with the people across Tibet rising up and demanding their freedom, the stakes are even higher as the Chinese government looks to seize any excuse to continue its military crackdown against Tibetans.

Please, contact your National Olympic Committee today and urge them to voice their concerns to the IOC about this urgent issue. Your National Olympic Committee (NOC) not only represents your country's Olympic athletes, they represent your nation as well.

Sunday, March 23, 2008

I know I've blogged about this before, but my friend Rob Paravonian (eternal friend of Grindhouse A Go Go and we've also done oodles of comedy shows together and I am always SO IMPRESSED WITH his AWESOMENESS) has this incredible bit called "Pachelbel's Rant." The Rant became so popular, and Rob is so awesome, that he is now opening for GEORGE CARLIN, a comic atop whose altar I worship nearly daily. That's the bigtime, baby! And to be in the presence of Carlin's legendary amazingness! Joy. Anyway, I think the Pachelbel's Rant is possibly the greatest execution of an idea that I've ever seen. Watch it again (and do make sure you commit to the very end).

I've been working on promos for this show and it premieres tonight at 10/9c and you should watch it. And, look, someone who isn't me taped my tease promo off the tv and put it on the internet. Watch and discuss, yo.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Today on Toxicpop, you can see a BLAST FROM THE PAST. It's from the way back machine, back from 2003, when World News Tonight (news friend Peter Jenning! Hearts and misses!) did a piece about Friendster and Robert Krulwich basically calls me a whore in the nicest way possible.

Also, I should note that we taped this on my birthday and I was a little out of it which is why my hair is all shoved up on my head (remember when it was that color red? Awwwww.)

Friday, March 14, 2008

Astute readers will notice a new category directly to the right --------> "Bex on the TV." I've been inspired and motivated by my friends who have many many many hilarious videos that you should watch on the internet, and I realized that I don't have any of my tv appearances on the youtube and I had been saving a lot of them on my DVR and then my DVR died but my friend JJB (BSG whut whut?) taught me how to do this miraculous wonder of magically poofing them from the world wide web and onto youtube (you know, for the kids) and now I have some of my tv appearances on the youtube and I hope no one minds. Track my changing hair colors and diets! What fun!

... Such as this classic, from that long ago summer when "Superman Returns" was about to open and there wasn't really any chatter that he was gay but we pretended there was. I love it more than anything because I am wearing Underoos on MSNBC. UNDEROOS ON MSNBC! Who the frak is more probably insane than that? Yeah.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Dearest friends - I am finally well-ish and back at work (I was sick for quite some time and my modem also decided to get sick in sympathy for me and so we were both sick and there was no internet in my house when I was stuck in bed for days on end all alone with no internet and only my hugging-panda for company) and back to my blog. With a grand ol' announcement!

I will on The Big Idea with Donny (awesome) Deutsch tonight! Set your tivo/divo for 10pm but I think my segment hits around the 10:30 mark. I'm in the "Big Idea / Bad Idea" debate and I throwdown against the lovely Bernadette Pauley. Even though we sort of wanted to have a catfight and then kiss 'n' make up afterwards, I think we held a vaguely civil debate. You can be the judge. We debate, you decide. Oh whoops, wrong network. Teehee!

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

In 1990, there was a sequel to the blockbuster smash hit "Look Who's Talking." The sequel was called "Look Who's Talking Too." As in: look who ELSE is talking.

This is a very special kind of sequel! For it uses the word "too." As in -- also! Additionally! Just like someone was talking in the first one! But now, someone ELSE is talking! In this case, "too" means: look! someone else is talking! Someone is talking, also! Someone is talking, additionally!

Here is the question: What other movie sequel also uses the "Too" signifier? Not like "Ghostbusters 2" or "Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit" or even "Gremlins 2: A New Batch." No, no, no. There is one certain specific movie sequel that uses the word "Too" to indicate "also."

Can you guess it? Can you guess it? Can you guess it? It's only the most important movie trivia question of all time.

Saturday, March 01, 2008

Hi hi. I'm pleased to announce that I no longer have a stomach flu, but now I have a raging sinus infection AND my pinched nerve is acting up! But I'm not moping around - oh, no, no, no. I'm on antibiotics and everything! Which means I'll be all better by this Wednesday, so you should come to this show I'm doing: (blurb ganked from the lovely Rachel Kramer Bussel)

Fundraiser for The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund

BEST EROTIC COMICS 2008 LAUNCH PARTY,

A BENEFIT FOR THE COMIC BOOK LEGAL DEFENSE FUND

March 5, 7:30 pmParkside Lounge, 317 E. Houston Street, NYC

21+ please, 2 drink minimum$10 suggested donation to CBLDF

Best Erotic Comics 2008 (Last Gasp), edited by Greta Christina, is a groundbreaking collection featuring today's top names in the world of comics. At this event, a fundraiser for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, New York's funniest comedians will "act out" work by Colleen Coover, Jessica Fink, Ellen Forney, Justin Hall, Rolf Konig, Erica Moen, and Dori Seda. Listen, laugh, squirm, and get turned on as they treat you to a night of sex and comedy you won't soon forget. Hosted by Rachel Kramer Bussel of In The Flesh Reading Series and featuring comedians Dan Allen, Sara Benincasa, Jon Friedman, Margot Leitman, Matt McCarthy, Giulia Rozzi and Bex Schwartz.

(note: I am pleased as punch to be included with this gang of people who are truly "New York's Funniest Comedians." I'm not so certain I merit inclusion amongst their ranks, but I'm excited to be the interloper nonetheless).

also: just think, if you plan this right and rock your DVR just in case, you can see the show and then race home for the ProjRun finale.